THE EGGLESTON REPORT – FOR THOSE WHO SERVE
This report is dedicated to those who serve in law enforcement and our military. Voters will have the chance to vote this fall on two Joint Resolutions to change our Missouri constitution, one relating to police and one for the Missouri National Guard. A Joint Resolution, which begins with HJR if it was filed by a House member or SJR if it was filed by a Senate member, is a bill that puts a proposed change to the constitution or to the law on the ballot for voters to consider.
SJR38 pertains to the funding of the Kansas City police department. Under current law, the legislature cannot require a city to increase a service unless a state appropriation is made to pay the city for any increased costs. If approved by voters, SJR38 would provide an exception to allow for a law that increases minimum funding for the K.C. police. Passage of SJR38 by voters would allow SB678, which was passed this session to increase Kansas City’s funding of their police, to go into effect. If voters vote down SJR38, SB678 would be unconstitutional and not go into effect. These two bills were filed in response to the Kansas City mayor and city council reducing police funding in what critics have called a “defund the police” move.
HJR116, if approved by the voters, would create the Missouri Department of the National Guard. This would give the Missouri National Guard the same executive branch department status as the Department of Agriculture, Department of Revenue, Department of Health & Senior Services, etc. The new department would be run by the Adjutant General, and would administer the militia and provide for other defense and security measures. Currently, the Missouri National Guard is a subdivision of the Department of Public Safety.
Lastly, happy Memorial Day and special thanks to those who have served or are currently serving in our armed forces, with respectful deference to those who have passed away. During this holiday, I always think of my mom’s brother, Uncle Harold Dean Wilson, who at 21 died in battle in France fighting the Nazis in World War II. The story of his heroics taking over for his fallen commander and leading his fellow troops to safety before being shot by a sniper’s bullet was chronicled in the June 1946 issue of The Atlantic. And I think of my cousins Randy, Curtis, Paul, and A.C. Eggleston who served, my dad who was in the National Guard, and my daughter-in-law who is currently a U.S. Army Reserves captain. Nearly all of us have relatives who have answered the call to protect our American freedoms. Let us remember them admirably this Memorial Day holiday.
As always, for any questions email me at [email protected]. Until next time, best wishes of safety, health, and prosperity to you and your family.
PICTURES FROM THE DISTRICT
Happy Memorial Day
FROM THE CAPITOL NEWS DESK
Honoring America’s Heroes
Throughout its history, the United States has been blessed with men and women who have been willing to make incredible sacrifices in defense of the American dream. This land of the free has been so only because of the gallant efforts of those brave souls who call it home. This Memorial Day, the people of this nation will pause to pay tribute to those who have given all so that the freedoms of the American people can be preserved. So many of the selfless soldiers who left their loved ones behind to fight for the cause of good never came home. For them there was no return to their families and no ticker tape parades celebrating their heroism. Memorial Day is a time to reflect on the heroes who willingly paid the price that was necessary to protect what is undeniably the greatest nation in the world.
While Memorial Day is meant as a time of remembrance for those who have been lost, it also can be a time to pay tribute to the heroes who continue to serve and inspire. None are more inspirational than Hershel “Woody” Williams, a United States Marine who is the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II. Williams will turn 99 in October of this year and continues on as the living embodiment of heroism and patriotism. He received his Medal of Honor, which is the highest and most prestigious military decoration awarded, during the Battle of Iwo Jima in 1945. Under heavy fire and with cover from only four riflemen, Williams singlehandedly took out numerous pillboxes to reduce devastating machine gun fire so his company could reach its objective. For his “unyielding determination and extraordinary heroism in the face of ruthless enemy resistance” Williams received the Medal of Honor from President Harry S. Truman.
Williams showed the nation he was truly a hero through his bravery in combat, but his heroic acts began before he ever entered the service, and continued after he retired. It was prior to the war that Williams delivered telegrams to military families notifying them of the death of a loved one. His time in that role led him to realize the “consideration and recognition of the families of those lost in military service was very inadequate.” That experience led him to eventually create the Woody Williams Foundation, which has allowed Williams to commemorate the service and devotion to duty of the nation’s service men and women, and their families. To date, Woody and his foundation are responsible for establishing 96 Gold Star Families Memorial Monuments across the United States with more than 79 additional monuments underway in 50 states and one U.S. Territory.
Not only is Hershel “Woody” Williams a hero, but he’s also someone who understands the importance of honoring and remembering the nation’s many other heroes who have sacrificed in the name of freedom. The commitment to service he has made in his own life should serve as an inspiration for all Americans, and should serve as a reminder that this nation must not and cannot forget the contributions made by those who answer the call to serve.
This session the Missouri General Assembly took action to ensure the extraordinary heroism of Hershel “Woody” Williams is honored and remembered. The legislature passed SCR 28 to call on the president to designate a state funeral for Williams in the event of his passing. It will be a time of incredible mourning as a nation says farewell to one of its greatest heroes, but also a time to bring the people of the United States together to pay tribute to the millions of soldiers, sailors, and airmen who have served in the Armed Forces.
The people of this nation hope that Williams has many more years of life ahead of him, and that his efforts will continue to shine a light on the contributions of the nation’s veterans. However, in the future when his story is a memory, it is imperative that the American people not forget it. The same holds true for the stories of the countless other brave souls who served and sacrificed. Memorial Day offers Americans that time to reflect and appreciate the many blessings its heroes have fought for and won. America is the land of the free because it is the home of the brave.
Missourians Can Now Track the Use of Federal Funds in Missouri
During the 2022 legislative session, the Missouri General Assembly approved a state operating budget that allocates billions of federal dollars. Now, the state has launched a new website that will allow visitors to learn how the federal funds are being spent in Missouri.
Gov. Mike Parson announced the launch of the new website to help guide access to Missouri’s American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds. The website will allow visitors to track the funds, and will also provide information on how Missouri organizations, non-profits, municipalities, businesses, communities, and other entities can apply for the State’s ARPA funds.
Parson said, “We want to use this historic funding to make responsible investments that best serve Missourians. This website provides a one-stop shop to see how these funds are being spent and also how to apply for funding. We owe it to the people of Missouri to be transparent in our spending efforts and ensure these funds are used in the most effective ways possible.”
During the 2022 session, the General Assembly approved HB 3020, which allocates the majority of Missouri’s ARPA funds. The governor has until July 1, when the new fiscal year begins, to take action on the bill. Until he takes action on the bill and authorizes the funding, the information provided on the new site will be limited.
Under federal guidelines, ARPA funds can be used for projects or programs that support public health expenditures; to address negative economic impacts caused by COVID-19; to replace lost public sector revenue; or invest in water, sewer, and broadband infrastructure. Currently, the only grant programs accepting applications are the water, wastewater, stormwater, and lead service line inventory grant programs. The remaining grant programs will begin accepting applications after July 1 and into the fall.
To view the state’s new website for ARPA funding information and opportunities, please visit https://moarpa.mo.gov/.